WHAT: V-MODA Vibe II
PRICE: $128
COMPARE TO: Shure SCL4, Sony MDR-EX500LP, Klipsch Image S4
FUN FACT: The Vibe II's were awarded Design & Engineering Showcase Honors at 2009 Consumer Electronic Show (CES).
WHY COMPLEX IS CO-SIGNING IT: We understand non-audiophiles don't put too much thought into their headphones. Not only do most of them sound the same, headphones are just one of those accessories you expect to misplace, so why bother? Plus who would bother paying over a c-note for some plastic and rubber? All good points. But what if a pair of headphones were priced a tick over $100, sounded as good as headphones double its price and forwent plastic and rubber for cloth and steel? Well, that's where the new V-MODA Vibe II's come in...
ANALYSIS
TOP SHELF FIT AND FINISH:
If you put your headphones through the same wear-and-tear that we put ours through on the regular (jogging, biking, subway), you know how easily a pair of ear buds can physically break down after a couple months. V-Moda, in stylistic effort as much as a quality reassurance, decides to do away with the traditional headphone materials and go with braided Kevlar fabric for the cables, stainless steel for the earbuds, microphone and controls, and 24K gold covering for the plug. To ensure even more durability, the plug features a 45-degree flexible design so you can't break the cord leading to it or break the plug itself. We've all fell victim to the unraveling of headphone cords, with the Vibe II's you don't have to worry about that.
GREAT SOUND QUALITY:
Fit and finish are important, yeah, but if your superbly built headphones sound worse than the free iPod headphones, what'd you accomplish? The Vibe II's deliver with sound that matches its aesthetic. You may notice the little subwoofer-looking box at the end of each ear bud, that's not just there for effect. Behind each stainless steel enclosure are 8mm V-Masque dynamic technology speaker drivers—which, in layman talk, is the technology that will make your lows sound full and bottomless, and your highs soar with a clarity and range only found on full ear headphones. The great sound can also be attributed to the BLISS (Bass Level Isolating Soft Silicone) system that isolates outside noise and provides a deeper, richer bass response. It's like you're at your own private concert.
WORKS WELL WITH PHONES:
V-MODA knows most people listen to music on their phones. For those of you multitasking with iPhones and Blackberry's, the Vibe II's come with a built in microphone and phone controls so you can take calls while listening to music and easily resume your song without having to pull our your phone. Also, there's no need to purchase another headset for your VOIP or Skype applications, the Vibe II's work seamlessly with those as well as iChat, and other third party audio recording applications in Mac OS X. Handsfree is the way to be.
